Apparatuses, systems and processes for surface cleaning

• US 6,945,261 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nalco Company (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Münch, Stefan, Wadsworth, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHRY, SAEED T
• Application Number:
  US10/658,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20050051197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 134/98, 134/95.3, 134/174, 134/198, 239/101
• US Class Current: 134/95.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/026 Cleaning by making use of hand-held spray guns; Fluid preparations therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: F28G 9/00 Cleaning by flushing or washing, e.g. with chemical solvents appliances using jets of fluid for removing debris F28G1/16, F28G3/16

Abstract

Described and claimed are apparatuses and systems for surface cleaning comprising a pump and an applicator connected to the pump through which one or more cleaning agents can be applied to the surface at an operating pressure that is about 600 PSI or less and an operating flow rate that is about 1 gal/min or less.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a surface, the apparatus comprising a pump, an applicator connected to the pump through which one or more cleaning agents can be applied to the surface at an operating pressure that is about 600 PSI or less and an operating flow rate that is about 1 gal/min or less, a basket which holds said cleaning agents, and a mobile cart that is equipped with the pump, the cleaning agents, the applicator, and the basket, wherein said basket is detachable from said mobile cart.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning agents are selected from the group consisting of a chemical cleaning agent, a biocide, a biostatic, solutions thereof and mixtures thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the chemical cleaning agent includes a surfactant-based cleaning agent.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the chemical cleaning agent in solution form has a pH that ranges from about 2.0 to about 14.0.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a dilution unit attached to the mobile cart wherein the dilution unit is capable of preparing the cleaning agents in solution form prior to application to the surface.

6. A surface cleaning system comprising:

a pump operates at an operating pressure of about 600 PSI or less;

an applicator connected to the pump through which a fluid can flow at an operating flow rate that is about 1 gal/min or less;

a water supply that can be applied to a surface through the applicator at the operating pressure and the operating flow rate;

a cleaning agent supply that can be applied to the surface through the applicator at the operating pressure and the operating flow rate;

a basket which holds said cleaning agent supply;

and a mobile cart that is equipped with the pump, the cleaning agents, the applicator, and the basket, wherein said basket is detachable from said mobile cars.

7. The surface cleaning system of claim 6 further comprising a mobile cart that is equipped with the pump, the applicator, the water supply and the cleaning agent supply.

8. The surface cleaning system of claim 7 wherein the cleaning agent supply is detachably connected to the mobile cart.

9. The surface cleaning system of claim 6 wherein the water supply includes a water reservoir.

10. The surface cleaning system of claim 6 wherein the water supply is supplied by an in-line water connector through which water is provided from an external water source.

11. The surface cleaning system of claim 6 wherein the cleaning agent supply is selected from the group consisting of a chemical cleaning agent, a biocide, a biostatic, solutions thereof and mixtures thereof.

12. The surface cleaning system of claim 11 wherein the chemical cleaning agent includes a surfactant-based cleaning agent.

13. The surface cleaning system of claim 12 wherein the chemical cleaning agent in solution form is selected from the group consisting of an alkaline solution having a pH m about 8.0 to about 12.5, a pH balanced solution having a pH from about 5.0 to about 10.0, an acidic solution having a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 4.0, and mixtures thereof.

14. The surface cleaning system of claim 6 further comprising a dilution mechanism including a dilution unit capable of preparing the cleaning agent supply in solution form at a dilution ratio that ranges from about 1:

4 to about 1;

256.